2018 Kia Rio vs Renault Clio

What's the difference?

When the current generation Kia Rio launched back in 2017, it looked fantastic.

But, when it came to the experience behind the wheel, the car was hampered by a less-than impressive engine and lacklustre transmission options. 

It was such a shame. Now though, the powers that be over at Kia have imbued the Rio with new life. It has new transmissions and a new engine, and at the top of the pecking order is the car reviewed here, the GT-Line.

So, has Kia finally explored the Rio’s potential? Is the GT-Line as hot as it looks? Read on to find out.

I'm going to reveal something of myself here - I used to be a RenaultSport Clio owner. This is what the purists call what we now know as Clio RS, and I find myself constantly corrected yet unrepentant. It was a 172 - a nuggety three-door with wheels that looked too small, a weird seating position and a 2.0-litre naturally aspirated engine that was big on torque as long as you belted it.

It was a classic and you could still see the links back to the epoch-making Renault Clio Williams, that blue and gold Mk 1 Clio we never saw in Australia that redefined the genre. The current Clio has been around for four years now and I even drove this current RS Clio at its launch in 2013, memorable for the sudden bucketing rain that drenched the circuit and made things very interesting indeed.

This Clio was a big change from the cars that went before - slimmer-hipped, less aggressive-looking and with a 1.6-litre turbo engine, five-door-only body and (gasp!) no manual, just Renault's twin-clutch EDC transmission. It was a hit, at least with enthusiasts. Back then it was the dawn of a golden age in small hot hatches. But that was then, this is now. With a small power bump and a couple of features thrown in, is the ageing RS still at the pointy end?